Anaheim Ducks vs. Dallas Stars Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 4/29/2022

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

Where to watch: Bally Sports Southwest Extra, Bally Sports SoCal

DraftKings: Stars -235, Ducks +190

BetMGM: Stars -250, Ducks +195

Caesars: Stars -233, Ducks +190

Ducks: 31-36-14

Stars: 45-30-6

The Dallas Stars are going to need some help if they want to avoid the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs. And if that blown three-goal lead to the Arizona Coyotes is the reason why it happened, I can’t imagine how that’s going to sit with the fanbase.

To be fair, I think we can understand the Stars deciding to take their foot off the gas in the third period of their 4-3 overtime loss to the Coyotes. Dallas was already well in control and clinched the final playoff spot by getting to overtime and eliminating the Vegas Golden Knights in the process. If you’re going to blow a three-goal lead, you might as well do it in style with no other repercussions.

But the Stars now need a win and need to the Nashville Predators to lose in regulation to those same Coyotes in order to clinch the top wild card in the West and have a date with the Calgary Flames. In order to do that, they first need to take down the Anaheim Ducks and end what has been a worthy Calder season for Trevor Zegras.

I’m not sure a fanbase has ever felt more conflicted than in the final 10 minutes of that game against Arizona, knowing you had the game in the palm of your hands, and then mistakes cost them in the end, like penalties and other boneheaded decisions of the like.

But the Stars are back in the playoffs for the first time since their Edmonton bubble run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 after missing it last season due to so many strenuous circumstances out of their control.

"We're in the playoffs," Stars coach Rick Bowness said. "It's great for the city, it's great for our fans, and it's going to be a great atmosphere here when we get back."

The Stars are closing things at home this year and the home crowd has had plenty to cheer for – coupling with the Stars making the playoffs, Jason Robertson turning into a 40-goal scorer and the Dallas Mavericks making the second round of the NBA playoffs, it’s a good time to be had by all with the city.

And not only that, there seems to be some stability with the goaltending. Jake Oettinger, coming off a strong effort against Vegas on Tuesday, got a reprieve from Scott Wedgewood making 33 saves against his former team.

"It's a big point, and a playoff berth is what we were fighting for," Wedgewood said. "It's huge for our organization, our team, all the guys what they've done all year. Since I've been here (acquired in a trade with the Coyotes on March 20) it's been a tough battle. You're obviously upset losing the game when you can get another point in the [wild card] race, but it takes a lot of pressure off Friday for just [staying] alive, which we are now. Just win a game on Friday and see what happens."

The Ducks will try to play spoiler, but their big moment has already come and passed with the retirement of captain Ryan Getzlaf last Sunday. Anaheim keeps winning though, ending a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Tuesday, thanks to Zegras scoring his 23rd goal of the season.

Had it not been for the tremendous play of Moritz Seider, Zegras would likely be walking away with the Calder this year, but this rookie class is deeper than I think any of us even anticipated going into the season. So much so that we all thought Cole Caufield would run away with the thing.

"We scored at opportune times," Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. "We didn't start out great but got better as the game went on. We haven't faulted our team at all with the way we've worked since the trade deadline. I think our guys have worked hard and stuck together the best they can."

John Gibson is expected to start the finale after Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves the other night.

Given that the Stars are in the playoffs now and have nothing more left to prove, the next goal is to avoid Colorado, and I firmly think they want to do that. There’s nothing they can do with Nashville except hope the Coyotes send Gila River Arena off in style with a win, but who knows if that’s likely? Until then, let’s see what transpires when Dallas gets this win. Stars win 4-2

Ducks are 9-16 following a division game this season.

Ducks are 6-26 revenging a loss against an opponent that's the favorite this season.

Stars are 18-7 following a division game this season.

Ducks:

Sonny Milano -- Trevor Zegras -- Gerry Mayhew

Max Comtois -- Adam Henrique -- Troy Terry

Dominik Simon -- Isac Lundestrom -- Zach Aston-Reese

Vinni Lettieri -- Sam Steel -- Buddy Robinson

Cam Fowler -- Kevin Shattenkirk

Urho Vaakanainen -- Jamie Drysdale

Josh Mahura -- Andrej Sustr

John Gibson

Stars:

Jason Robertson -- Roope Hintz -- Joe Pavelski

Michael Raffl -- Jamie Benn -- Tyler Seguin

Joel Kiviranta -- Radek Faksa -- Luke Glendening

Fredrik Karlstrom -- Vladislav Namestnikov -- Denis Gurianov

Ryan Suter -- Miro Heiskanen

Esa Lindell -- John Klingberg

Thomas Harley -- Jani Hakanpaa

Jake Oettinger

Points: Troy Terry -- 66

Goals: Troy Terry -- 36

Assists: Trevor Zegras -- 37

Goalie: John Gibson -- 18-26-11, 3.21 GAA, .904 SV%

Points: Joe Pavelski -- 81

Goals: Jason Robertson -- 40

Assists: Joe Pavelski -- 54

Goalie: Jake Oettinger -- 29-15-1, 2.54 GAA, .915 SV%